Crossbows Act 1987
Crossbows Act 1987: a UK law that controls who can buy, hire, and possess crossbows to protect young people.
- What the law did originally: It became an offence to knowingly sell or hire a crossbow to someone under 17; it was also an offence to buy or hire a crossbow while underage. Someone under 17 could not possess a functioning crossbow or parts to make one unless an adult supervised. Police could search a person or their vehicle, detain them for the search, and confiscate any crossbow or parts found.
- Penalties: Selling or hiring to a minor could lead to up to six months in prison or a fine. Buying, hiring, or possessing a crossbow underage could lead to a fine. Courts could order forfeiture or destruction of the crossbow or its parts.
- Exemption: The act does not cover crossbows with a draw weight under 1.4 kgf (very light crossbows).
- Amendments: The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 raised the minimum possession age from 17 to 18 across the UK; Scotland followed with a similar change in 2007.
- Scope: Applies to England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:26 (CET).